1999 - Flaccianello delle Pieve, Fontodi, Colli della Toscana Centrale

What a stunner. The 1999 Flaccianello della Pieve is a tight and well-constructed wine with traces of that bright and tangy acidity that are so unique to the beautiful Conca d'Oro subzone of Panzano in Chianti. The wine is drinking beautifully right now, so if you are lucky enough to have a bottle in your cellar, you might want to move it up to the front of the line. This vintage saw cool conditions during the first part of the growing season, and much warmer temperatures later in the summer lasting through to harvest time. Compared to the 1997 vintage that is more muscular and concentrated, this pretty expression is lighter on its feet, more delicate and even looser in terms of its texture and fiber. It shows grace and poise, with the specific aging profile that is guided by the natural acidity that defines the Sangiovese grape. Over time, the mighty Tuscan grape loses much of its weight, much like a rocket shedding its boosters as it flies into space. What's left is steely, tight and firm, and ultimately, that is the engine that drives the grape over its aging evolution.

This 1999 Fontodi Flaccinello della Pieve has a lovely texture and weight and a gentleness on the palate. It still has a very bright, nervy acidity which is tenaciously keeping everything together and making the wine look sprightly. It is fading a little in terms of the fruit and aromas with some dried-fruit notes, but it will hold. By the time they got to 1999 this wine was allowed to be an IGT Colli Toscana Centrale and no longer had to be labelled a table wine. Owner Manetti says, "The 1999 vintage was warmer than 93 and one of the best of the 90s so there was more richness and the wines had great balance." In 1993 there was a lower planting density of 3000 vines per hectare whereas by 1999 it was 7000 vines per hectare.